Liliacecc Ruscus. 53 [ 



cladode with a smaller cladode overhanging them ; arid R. 

 hypophyllum, also from the South of Europe, with the flowers 

 beneath the cladodes. These three species are rare in gardens, 

 and rather tender. 



30. ASPIDISTRA. 



Plants of fine foliage and insignificant flowers produced close 

 to the ground, and remarkable for the curious Mushroom-like 

 stigma. Name from ao-Tri&io-sov, a little shield, in allusion to 

 this character, which is common to a small tribe of this family. 

 Natives of Japan and China. A. elatior variegata is a stemless 

 handsome plant with large oblong leaves on long petioles, 

 alternately striped green and white, reaching a height of two 

 or three feet. A. lurida and A. punctata are closely allied 

 species. 



Paris quadrifolia is a closely allied native plant with one 

 whorl of oblong leaves and solitary terminal yellow and green 

 flowers. 



31. TRILLIUM. 



A singular North American genus remarkable for the ternary 

 arrangement of the organs, all the species having the net-veined 

 leaves in verticils of threes, the perianth in two distinct series, 

 the outer sepaloid and persistent and the inner petaloid and 

 fugacious, 3 or 6 stamens and 3 stigmas and a 3-celled fruit. 

 This genus and its allies are referred by some writers to Smila- 

 clnece, whilst others regard them as a tribe of the Liliacece. 

 The name is from the Latin trilix, triple. Two or three 

 tuberous-rooted species are in cultivation, but they are seldom 

 seen. 



1. T. grandiflorum. A very beautiful plant about a foot 

 high with ovate strongly-nerved leaves and solitary terminal 

 pedunculate flowers. Outer segments of the perianth green, 

 and the inner ones white. 



2. T. pendulum, syn. T. erectum. Birthroot. This differs 

 mainly from the last in the rounded base of the leaves, which 

 are abruptly acute. The flowers are violet in the type, but 

 there is a white-flowered variety. 



32. PHILfiSIA. 



A genus differing in its shrubby habit and some other 

 particulars from all other plants of this family, and by some 



31 At 2 



